'Yes' vote on public question smart bet

If it ever happens, legalized sports betting in New Jersey could end up being too little, too late for Atlantic City's struggling casinos and racetracks.

Nonetheless, we think that sports betting should come to Atlantic City because, frankly, it's practical and it might help lure visitors and preserve jobs - something that's of utmost importance for New Jersey's economy.

The issue will be the only statewide public question on the Nov. 8 election ballot. We strongly support its passage.

With sports betting, the cat is already out of the bag. Under the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), four states were allowed to offer legalized sports betting - Nevada, Oregon, Delaware and Montana. Sports betting parlors are standard in Nevada casinos.

Closer to home, Delaware's racetrack casinos began offering parlay wagering on NFL games in 2009. It has become a draw for those racinos during football season.

New Jersey could have had an exception for itself from the 1992 law, but its leaders then chose not to pursue sports betting.

Two decades later, things have changed dramatically thanks to the Internet and the proliferation of casinos nationwide.

Want to bet on a boxing match or the Super Bowl? You don't need a bookie anymore. Anyone can use a computer or smart phone to set up an account with a gambling website based overseas.

The federal government has tried to crack down on this, going after three of the top online poker websites earlier this year and shutting them down. But at least a dozen states are exploring legalized online poker and other wagering. The District of Columbia has already approved it.

People who want to bet online will find ways to do it. If the government shuts down one website, another one will start up. If the government scares credit card companies away from processing the transactions, people will wire money, send a check or find another way to move funds.

Because of the federal law, a "yes" vote by New Jerseyans in November wouldn't allow Atlantic City's reeling casinos and tracks to immediately start offering sports betting. But such a vote would put more pressure on Congress to go back and reconsider PASPA and whether it's right to ban something in 46 states while allowing it in four, all the while ignoring that sports gambling is thriving thanks to technology the government can't realistically control.

Legalize it, regulate it and limit it. But bring in tax dollars and create jobs because of it. That's the sensible approach.

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'Yes' vote on public question smart bet

If it ever happens, legalized sports betting in New Jersey could end up being too little, too late for Atlantic City's struggling casinos and racetracks.

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